Lawrence View Primary and Nursery School

Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School Inspection report

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122571 Unique Reference Number Nottinghamshire Local Authority 314329 Inspection number 10–11 September 2008 Inspection dates Georgina Beasley Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 225 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 64 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Pam Coward Chair Mrs Julie Botterell Headteacher 3 May 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Lynncroft School address Eastwood Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG16 3FZ

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3–11 Age group 10–11 September 2008 Inspection dates 314329 Inspection number 01773719463 Telephone number 01773711567 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 10–11 September 2008 Inspection dates 314329 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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average size primary school with Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision for children in Nursery and Reception classes. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and who speak English as an additional language is very small. An average proportion of pupils find learning more difficult than others, although there is an above average number with an identified specific need. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is average. The headteacher has been in post for two terms prior to the inspection and the governing body is a relatively new team.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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Grade: 3

The school provides pupils with a satisfactory standard of education. The strong emphasis on building pupils' personal development and in raising their self-esteem and self-confidence results in positive relationships throughout the school. Most pupils enjoy school, feel safe and are confident to talk to adults about any concerns. They know the importance of healthy eating and physical exercise because of the good curriculum. The active class and school councils give pupils a voice in the improvements they would like to see and gives them important life lessons on how to express a point of view. The school has re-established a close partnership with parents through strong induction arrangements into the Nursery, an active parent school association and regular opportunities to talk to staff. Nearly all parents speak positively about the school. They recognise the improvements in behaviour and feel the school cares about their children's

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Grade: 3

safety and emotional well-being. Partnerships with other local schools give pupils good opportunities to play sport and ensure a smooth transition to the secondary school. All of these factors contribute to sound personal development. Pupils' achievement and the standards they reach are satisfactory. The strong focus on improving pupils' achievement has resulted in a steady rise in standards in reading, mathematics and science at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. There is still some work to do to raise achievement in writing, especially for boys. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers and teaching assistants work as a close-knit team to plan activities that generally match pupils' needs; this is particularly beneficial to those with a specific need. Lessons in mathematics and science are more practical and involve pupils in problem solving activities and investigations. This particularly

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Grade: 3

engages boys' interest and so they make faster progress in these subjects. Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders, teachers and governors have made a good start in identifying and agreeing key areas for improvement. There has been particularly good improvement in the Nursery and Reception, resulting in good progress in children's skills. All staff are committed and have the capacity to put improvements into place. Recent turbulence in staffing and a deficit budget, both now effectively resolved, have hampered their efforts but all staff know what needs to be done and how to do it. Self-evaluation procedures have accurately identified what the school does well and what it needs to improve. This has enabled a detailed school improvement plan to be agreed. Implementation of this plan is at an early stage and hence there has been too little time to rigorously monitor the impact of the improvement strategies

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Grade: 2

Effective leadership and management have secured good improvement since the last inspection. The curriculum, teaching and learning are good in the Nursery and Reception classes and children get off to a good start. Close links with parents and well-organised admission arrangements ensure children settle happily. They all quickly develop an enthusiasm for school. Although they vary from year to year and between areas of learning, children start in the Nursery with standards that are close to those usually found for their age. Aspects of language development, such as speaking, listening and writing, are below those normally found. Children make good progress in all areas of learning because of well planned activities and good quality 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008 adult support. Teachers and teaching assistants use assessment information well to plan lessons

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Grade: 2

that children find interesting and that are matched well to their abilities and needs. By the end of the Reception year, most children reach the expected goals except in writing, which remains a weaker element of their language development. This is particularly true for boys. The teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills is firmly rooted in practical activities that appeal to children. New procedures have been introduced for teaching children letter sounds to support their writing but it is too early to judge the impact of this work on children's achievement. Progress in personal development is good. Children grow in confidence and independence. They eagerly choose from the wide range of activities, both inside and outside. They play happily together and learn to share and to make choices.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Plan more consistently for the improvement of pupils' writing skills to bring standards up to those of reading, mathematics and science. ■ Deliver a more interesting range of learning activities to motivate and engage boys more in literacy lessons. ■ Rigorously monitor the progress towards achieving the key priorities for improvement identified in the school improvement plan. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory but which has 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 have risen steadily since the previous inspection. In 2007, they were above average in reading, and average in writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. This reflects satisfactory progress since this group of pupils started school. Standards fell slightly last year but still reflect satisfactory progress for this group of pupils. Girls achieved better than boys, especially in writing. Standards at the end of Year 6 are average in mathematics and science and below average in English. Here too, writing still lags behind reading, mathematics and science because boys do not achieve so well in this aspect. Progress is satisfactory overall but has been good in mathematics and science since this group of pupils were in Year 2. Pupils with specific physical or learning difficulties make good progress against their individual targets. Pupils who need more general support to help their learning make satisfactory progress, partly due to working

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Grade: 3

in small groups for much of the time in English and mathematics.

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Grade: 3

Pupils enjoy school. They find it a safe place to be and say adults sort out the few incidents of bullying and name calling that occur. The school works hard to get pupils into school who are absent more than they should be. Hence, attendance is improving and most pupils come to school every day and on time. Behaviour is satisfactory and most pupils get along for most of the time. School and classroom rules help pupils behave in class and on the playground, and build positive relationships with each other. Pupils know the importance of keeping safe, fit and healthy through a wide range of after school sporting activities and events, and regular physical education, personal, social and health education and science lessons. Pupils are aware of their personal contribution to the school and wider community through the weekly class and 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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Grade: 3

school councils, school celebrations and raising money for various charities. Through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities, pupils are developing a sound awareness of their own and others' cultural heritage. Pupils are developing satisfactory literacy, numeracy and computer skills to help prepare them for their future needs.

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Grade: 3

Teachers use assessment information in a satisfactory way to monitor the progress of individuals and to organise pupils into groups for English and mathematics from Year 1 upwards. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to plan what pupils will learn, with clear targets for improvement for different ability groups. Pupils with a specific need have personalised plans, which staff follow to ensure their needs are met well. The practical and problem solving activities in mathematics and science motivate learners and, in particular, suit the way boys learn. In English, learning is not so varied and so boys tend to lose concentration in lessons. Teachers use the new interactive whiteboards effectively in all classes to engage pupils' attention, capture interest and demonstrate key learning. Pupils use computers regularly to support their learning, although their use at times other than those timetabled is better in some

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is planned to ensure that pupils receive an appropriate balance of learning experiences in all subjects. Sometimes learning in several subjects is linked into a topic or theme, which makes learning more relevant and interesting. In particular, this gives more purpose to the practice of pupils' literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills. However, planned activities in English do not consistently take account of the different ways in which pupils learn, and boys in particular. Sporting opportunities and the provision made for pupils' personal health education are good. Visits to places of interest and visitors such as the 'Mad Scientist' help pupils remember key learning, and a range of clubs and special events help to broaden their experiences. Opportunities for pupils to develop musical skills and talents are limited. The school is actively reaching out to extend its links with local organisations to

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Grade: 3

improve pupils' knowledge and understanding of people from different communities, cultures and backgrounds.

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Grade: 3

The school has successfully ensured that arrangements for keeping pupils safe meet requirements and that all staff follow procedures consistently. It works well with outside agencies and other schools to secure focused advice and support for pupils who need specific help for their learning. Procedures for assessing pupils' progress are satisfactory. The information gathered is used by teachers to set group and individual targets that are referred to in lessons. Pupils who need general support for their learning receive satisfactory help. Not all have small step targets included in individualised learning plans because their needs have only recently been identified. Some teachers' written comments on work give pupils useful guidance on what they need to learn next, but this is not consistent across the school. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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Grade: 3

The headteacher, supported well by the deputy headteacher, staff and governors, has established a clear educational direction for the school. The whole school team is working closely together to bring about positive and rapid change in many aspects of the school's work. Recent initiatives to improve pupils' knowledge and understanding of their role in the United Kingdom and the wider world communities have been successful. The roles of subject leaders have been clearly defined and these teachers have been involved this year in monitoring their subjects with a clear focus on improving standards and achievement. Procedures to check overall progress are not fully embedded in whole school practice to enable leaders to know if the school is on track to achieve the improvement goals set. Governors are supportive of the school and, although many are new to their role, they are actively pursuing opportunities to work with staff to enable

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Grade: 3

them to contribute more to whole school improvement. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 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. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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learners?

3 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 3 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 3 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 September 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, Eastwood, NG16 3FZ Thank you very much for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. Thank you to everyone who told us about your learning and achievements. We have decided that you go to a satisfactory school. There are some things that are good and some things that could be better. We are impressed with those of you who play so well together on the playground. You told us that bullying and falling out are rare, and that most pupils now behave properly. It was good to hear how knowledgeable you are about the importance of keeping fit and healthy. The school and class councils help you make a positive contribution to the school and local communities and help you to let the adults know what you like and do not like about the school. It is good to know you are beginning to learn about people who live

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in different parts of the country and the world, and that the school plans more ways for you to learn about other communities and cultures. This is important for preparing you for the world when you become adults. Your teachers work closely together to plan some interesting activities for you to do such as the visit from the 'Mad Scientist' and the many sporting events you take part in with other local schools. You find mathematics and science lessons more interesting than literacy, which is why some of you make faster progress in these subjects than in English. We have asked your teachers to make English lessons just as interesting to help you achieve higher results, especially in writing. You can help by always trying to do your best and by knowing what you need to do to improve your work. Your headteacher, deputy headteacher and all the adults who work in your school want you to do well. They have planned many improvements which are starting to be put into place. We

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

have asked them to make sure that they check more regularly and carefully how well these are helping you to learn. Everyone is keen to make sure that the school continues to improve and to get even better over the coming years. We wish you all the very best for the future. Yours sincerely Georgie Beasley Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, 10–11 September 2008

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