Keir Hardie Primary School

Keir Hardie Primary School Inspection report

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102725 Unique Reference Number Newham Local Authority 317222 Inspection number 27 °28 November 2007 Inspection dates Robert Lovett HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 which gives Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 257 School The governing body Appropriate authority Ms M Camley Chair Ms M Rosen Headteacher 1 November 2006 Date of previous school inspection Edwin Street School address London E16 1PZ 020 7476 1284 Telephone number 020 7476 1262 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 27 °28 November 2007 Inspection dates 317222 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

While the school roll has been falling this remains a larger than average size school. It is situated in an area of urban regeneration so that there is a substantial amount of rebuilding and a high number of pupils joining and leaving the school at other than the usual times. There are plans to build a new school on part of the existing site to open in 2011. The area is more economically disadvantaged than most and the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. A high proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and are known to speak a first language other than English. The last inspection made the school subject to special measures and this is the third monitoring inspection since then.

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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: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Such is the progress the school has made it is difficult to believe that just over twelve months ago its overall effectiveness was judged inadequate. Keir Hardie has made good progress since then. It is now a satisfactory school with a number of good, and some outstanding features. In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. During their time in Key Stages 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory progress from their below average attainment at the end of the Foundation Stage. The most recent assessments indicate that standards are rising more quickly than in the past and the rate of progress is accelerating. This is because teaching and learning are improving and teachers have a sharper focus on what pupils need to learn. In the 2007 national tests for Year 6 not enough pupils reached the higher Level 5 in English, mathematics and science so that some more able pupils did not do as well

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Grade: 3

as they should. Marking is good. Teachers ensure pupils know how well they are doing and tell them what they need to do to improve further. However, this advice is not always sufficiently followed up, so that some pupils do not know whether they have improved. Some pupils said they were unsure how well they were doing against their targets or how they would know when they have been met. Pupils are proud of their school and say they can clearly recognise the improvements. They say the school looks much better. Good displays of work in classrooms and other areas of the school help them learn and show them what work of a high standard looks like. Pupils also say they feel happy, valued and safe. This is reflected in their excellent behaviour, friendly relationships and joy of learning. When asked how the school had improved one young pupil promptly replied 'we learn more'. Parents and carers share this positive view of the school with almost all saying

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Grade: 3

their children enjoy school and that they are making good progress. Part of the reason that this is an improving school is that it is very well managed. The headteacher provides very good leadership. Her clear focus on school improvement is widely shared, everyone knows they have their part to play; the school council was consulted on the school's improvement plans and have contributed their own action plan. The school is beginning to make good use of performance data to track how well pupils are doing but at present does not use this information consistently or rigorously enough in some of its plans for raising standards, especially for the more able. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well managed. Good use is made of assessment to match learning well to pupils' needs. Pupils who speak a first language other than English are well supported and make good progress in the acquisition of English language skills.

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Grade: 3

The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well and has produced a good plan for school improvement. Because of this, and because standards are rising and the rate of pupils' progress is accelerating, the school has a good capacity to improve.

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Grade: 2

The school provides children with a good start to their education. Most children join the nursery with well below average levels of knowledge and skills. By the end of their reception year they 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007 have made good progress although standards are still below average in all areas of learning, and well below average for communication, language and literacy. There have been significant improvements in teaching and learning and the Foundation Stage curriculum since the last inspection. There is now a stimulating environment that makes learning fun. Children are well cared for and supported. Adults have a good understanding of each child's needs and the curriculum is adapted to meet them. The youngest children settle into school quickly. All children are encouraged to be independent and to care for themselves and each other. There was great excitement as children explored the effect of salt on ice as part of

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Grade: 2

their Jack Frost project with adults and children using 'icy' language alongside words relating to temperature, appearance and weight.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that more able pupils do better and that more reach Level 5 by the end of Year 6.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that advice given in marking and other feedback forms a basis for dialogue and is followed up, and that pupils are clear about their progress in meeting their learning targets. ■ Use performance data more consistently and rigorously to identify areas for improvement and raise standards. 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

Many children enter the school with levels of skills and knowledge which are well below average, particularly in respect of their language and communication. Standards at the end of Year 2 have fluctuated over the last few years but are below average. In 2007 standards were lowest in reading and writing. The 2007 national tests for Year 6 show that while pupils make satisfactory progress standards are below average. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 is too low so that some more able pupils are not doing as well as they should. The school's most recent assessments indicate that standards are rising. The school has set challenging targets for 2008 and its pupil tracking systems suggest it is well placed to achieve these. All groups of pupils make similar progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils really enjoy their learning and are very proud of their school. Pupils' relationships with each other and with adults are extremely good and they appreciate the diversity of cultures within school. Pupils relish the many opportunities now given for them to work together. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep healthy and safe and are turning the school 'green' with lots of enthusiasm. They now have allotments and enjoy their home grown food. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are well aware of the social skills expected of them and have responded very well to the school's promotion of self-esteem and high aspirations. They take their many responsibilities seriously and the school council makes a good contribution to school development. These responsibilities and their improving 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007

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Grade: 2

use of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum prepare them well for their future lives and for active citizenship.

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Grade: 3

While much of the teaching seen during the inspection was good or outstanding, teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. This is because it is too early to see the impact of improving teaching on pupils' learning over time. In all classes, speaking and listening are promoted very well through the many opportunities for pupils to talk to each other about their work and learn together. This represents good progress as many children find collaborative working difficult when they first join the school. Classrooms are bright, calm and orderly, and space is effectively used to display work from across the curriculum and exemplify high standards. Good quality marking helps pupils understand how they can improve their work but these useful comments are not always followed up sufficiently well.Teachers' plan their work with great care and organise an imaginative range of situations and resources to support learning very well. This emphasis on innovative and

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Grade: 3

practical investigative work is much appreciated by pupils who say it helps them learn.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum has improved since the last inspection and is now good. It is focussed on achievement and enjoyment and provides pupils with a good range of interesting and relevant leaning experiences. The good links between subjects and whole school topics, such as Black History Week, deepen pupils' understanding of the school community as well as broader national and international issues. The school continues to provide a good range of curriculum enrichment and physical activity both within classes and outside school time. Older pupils also receive Spanish lessons and there is specialist music teaching in Key Stage 2. Teachers and pupils make good use of interactive whiteboards and computers in the classrooms and computer suite.

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Grade: 3

Pupils are well cared for, they receive good pastoral guidance which has a positive impact on pupils' relationships with one another. Academic guidance is satisfactory because the impact it has on pupils' achievement is satisfactory. There are robust arrangements for checking the suitability of staff. Child protection procedures and arrangements to ensure health and safety are well established and result in pupils feeling safe. Because the school monitors attendance well and pupils enjoy learning attendance is good. Marking is consistently good. It tells pupils how well they are doing both in relation to the learning objectives for the lesson and against national curriculum levels. Because the school actively promotes the importance and value of every child, it also successfully promotes inclusion and equality. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007

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Grade: 2

The headteacher is providing very effective leadership. She has a clear focus on raising standards and in a short time has had a significant impact on how well pupils are doing. She is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and senior leadership team. They work towards the common goal of school improvement with energy and determination. A sense of shared vision and commitment permeates the whole staff. As a result there is now a shared sense of purpose and responsibility for the progress pupils make. Subject leadership is good. Subject leaders have an improving understanding of how high standards are and have good plans to raise standards further. The leadership team has implemented a rigorous programme of lesson observations using a range of clear success criteria and these are having a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. The chair of governors provides committed and effective leadership. Because it is now well

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Grade: 2

informed the governing body is better able to hold the school to account. The Local Authority has made an effective contribution to school improvement and its support has been greatly valued by the school. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007 .

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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: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 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 2 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 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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?

3 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: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 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 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: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

6 December 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Keir Hardie Primary School,London,E16 1PZ I would like to begin by thanking you for making my colleague and I so welcome when we visited your school recently. Your views were valuable in helping us form our judgements and write the report. I would like to thank in particular those of you who gave up part of your lunchtime to talk to me. Yours is a satisfactory school, which has improved a great deal since it was last inspected. Your excellent behaviour, politeness and positive attitude to learning are some of the key strengths of the school. You told us that you are proud of your school and can recognise the many ways it has improved. You told us you now learn more and find lessons more enjoyable. We can see that standards are beginning to rise and that you are making more rapid progress. Part of the reason for this is that teaching is exciting and you have good opportunities to work together

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and discuss what you are doing. Because the headteacher and other adults know what the school is good at and what it still needs to improve we are confident the school will continue to move forward. This was the third time I have visited your school and I can see Keir Hardie has improved a lot but I believe you can all do even better. Here are some of the ways we are asking the school to help you learn more.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help those of you who are more able to do better so that when you are in Year 6 more of you reach Level 5. ■ Follow up the advice given in marking and make sure you are clear about how well you are doing against your learning targets. ■ Improve the use of information about how well you are doing.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can contribute to this by telling your teacher if you find your work too easy or too hard and making sure you are clear about how to improve your work. Because yours is now a satisfactory and improving school, I will not return to make another monitoring inspection. I wish you every success and I will be interested to see how you do in the years ahead. Robert Lovett Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 27 °28 November 2007

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