Chalgrove Primary School

Chalgrove Primary School Inspection report

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101309 Unique Reference Number Barnet Local Authority 320506 Inspection number 25 °26 March 2008 Inspection dates Gill Close 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 167 School The governing body Appropriate authority Cllr Fiona Bulmer Chair Mrs Pauline Moss Headteacher 18 October 2006 Date of previous school inspection Chalgrove Gardens School address Finchley London N3 3PL 020 8349 1798 Telephone number 020 8349 1799 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 25 °26 March 2008 Inspection dates 320506 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 of Her Majesty's Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Pupils at Chalgrove Primary School come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. A higher than average proportion joins the school after the start of the Reception Year or leaves before the end of Year 6. About half of the pupils speak a first language other than English and a substantial number join the school at an early stage of learning English. Pupils come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, with a quarter eligible for free school meals, which is more than average. A high proportion of the pupils, one third, has learning difficulties or disabilities, which in the main are behavioural or communication, and more than average have a statement of special educational needs. When the school was inspected in October 2006, it was judged to require special measures. Since then it has been visited by inspectors each term. A new permanent headteacher joined the school in January 2008 following one year of leadership by an interim headteacher seconded

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Description of the school

from another school. At the same time, a permanent head of inclusion took up a full-time post at the school and joined the headteacher and deputy headteacher to comprise the senior management team. A new governing body took over from an interim executive board in November 2007, with substantial continuity of membership.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. Chalgrove is an improving school that delivers a satisfactory standard of education. Parents and pupils recognise how much better it is, as reflected in a pupil's comment 'the temporary headteacher transformed it and the new headteacher is doing a brilliant job of carrying on'. Through good leadership and management, the school has developed systems that have substantially improved teaching and assessment, and involved parents more through providing better information and opportunities to participate. The strong leadership of the headteacher has formed a cohesive senior management team with whom staff are working enthusiastically to improve the school. The impact of the well-targeted actions the school has taken demonstrates its good capacity to continue to improve.

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Grade: 3

In some year groups, particularly Year 6, pupils make good progress because teaching is good. The best practice involves pupils in planning work that challenges them and keeping a regular check for themselves on how they are progressing against their targets. However, teaching quality varies across the school and amongst temporary staff, and is satisfactory overall. Sometimes work does not challenge all pupils well enough, especially higher attainers, so they do not make the progress they could. Some opportunities are lost for pupils to make decisions about the demand of the work and how well they are doing, although they take part in discussions about their learning and drawing up their half-termly individual targets. Achievement is satisfactory and the school's data show that current Year 6 pupils are on track to reach broadly average standards at the end of the year. This is a calm and friendly school which pupils really enjoy attending. They particularly like the

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Grade: 3

wide range of clubs. The good level of care the school provides ensures that everyone is supported effectively, and pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities gain the access to lessons that enables them to make similar progress to their peers. Those who are new to English quickly increase fluency. Pupils get on well with each other and staff. Their personal development and well-being are good, but they feel they could be more involved in decision making. Parents welcome the termly reports with information on their children's attainment and details of their individual learning targets. The assessments underpinning these are used effectively to intervene where pupils are underachieving but the recording system does not enable the termly progress of individuals or groups against their target levels to be checked easily, for example to see quickly where pupils are making less than good progress.

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Grade: 3

Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. It has improved substantially since the last inspection. Parents are happy with the way their children have settled in, helped by home visits as part of their induction, and say they enjoy coming to school. They are justified in their confidence that their children are looked after well. Children make good progress in personal, social and emotional development and display positive attitudes to learning. They build good relationships with each other and the adults who manage them effectively in developing routines. Much of the teaching in small groups and individually is good and helps them to learn well, but sometimes the teaching and support miss opportunities to extend children's learning during 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008 such activities. Overall children make satisfactory progress and reach broadly average standards.

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Grade: 3

Planning for learning is much better focussed than at the last inspection on what children are expected to achieve from the activities on offer, although it does not always show how they will be adapted to meet the differing needs of the children. Planning covers the full range of the curriculum, with exploration and construction aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world represented well, although systems to monitor what children choose are not rigorous enough to ensure that they always receive the breadth of activities on offer. For outdoor learning, planning does not consistently cover all areas and complement provision indoors. The outdoor learning area is somewhat cramped, with use restricted through limited shelter and the quality of resources. Assessment has also improved. It includes attainment recorded electronically and accurate observation notes kept with photographs in scrapbooks that provide

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Grade: 3

useful records of children's learning and development. However, the range of notes kept does not dovetail easily together to illustrate clearly the progress that has been made in each area of learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase consistency in providing challenge for all in lessons, particularly the higher attainers.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve systems for recording assessments so that the progress of individuals and groups against their target levels can be monitored more easily and frequently. ■ Enhance outdoor provision in the Foundation Stage.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Strengthen pupils' involvement in making decisions in the school, and in the classroom about their work and the assessment of their progress. 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

The attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year and within each year group. Overall it is roughly in line with national expectations. Pupils reach broadly average standards by the end of Reception. In 2007, standards were below average at the end of Key Stage 1 and exceptionally high at the end of Key Stage 2. For the pupils currently at the end of these key stages, who have different prior-attainment, the school's data show that standards are expected to remain below average by the end of Key Stage 1 and be broadly average by the end of Key Stage 2, in line with their targets. Standards have been lower in writing than other areas in Reception and Key Stage 1. The school has rightly focused on these, and standards in writing have now risen in Reception and Year 1. The progress pupils make varies across year groups and subjects, and is satisfactory overall. It is particularly good in Year 6. The school's monitoring shows that progress varies in lessons,

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Grade: 3

and that more able pupils sometimes do not make as much progress as they could. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities receive effective support that enables them to make similar progress to other pupils. Those at early stages of learning English make good progress in language acquisition and are given appropriate access so they can make similar overall progress to other pupils. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils display good attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons. They really enjoy coming to school and the friendships they have. Through the school's good efforts and its work with the education welfare officer, attendance has improved and is now above average. Pupils feel very safe and say that any bullying is dealt with effectively, although there are occasional disagreements in the playground. They know that a few pupils have difficulty behaving and managing their feelings, and find that staff deal with this well. Pupils know well how to stay healthy and eat sensibly, although their views on the healthy lunches are mixed. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, with strengths in the first three of these areas. Pupils develop good self-awareness and greatly improve their self-esteem. Relationships between pupils and with staff are based on strong mutual respect.

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Grade: 2

Pupils raise funds for charity and participate in community events. They have completed a questionnaire on their views and have a school council but do not feel involved enough in following through issues and making decisions. Their attitudes and social skills prepare them well for the future.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection with better use of learning objectives and success criteria to focus teachers and pupils on the purpose of the lesson. Teachers use assessment more effectively to plan work of differing demand for different groups. They give clear explanations and set appropriate activities that develop pupils' understanding and use of language through paired discussion. Some teaching is particularly good, involving pupils actively in work that challenges and excites them, and monitoring carefully how well they are doing throughout the lesson. Good examples include pupils designing activities to challenge themselves. However, the quality varies across the school and many pupils have experienced some teaching by temporary staff that has been satisfactory or below. Sometimes staff do not check carefully enough how pupils are doing. Consequently, pupils spend too long

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Grade: 3

listening or being stuck, or the work given to them does not challenge them to think hard because it is too easy. Through its own monitoring, the school has rightly identified the need for more consistent planning of challenge for higher attainers and use of higher order questioning. Teaching assistants are better briefed and more effectively deployed throughout lessons. They provide improved support, with some good interventions that help build confidence as well as learning, but others that are not well enough focused. There is some good use of assessment in lessons, with frequent reference to targets and objectives and pupils assessing their own work and that of peers, but the school rightly has as a priority the more consistent use of assessment to enhance learning during lessons. The best marking is helpful in supporting pupils' improvement although marking is not consistently of this quality or always regular.

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Grade: 3

6 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008

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Grade: 3

The breadth of the National Curriculum is delivered. Suitable intervention is provided for pupils who are at early stages of learning English, who have learning difficulties or disabilities and for those who are underachieving. Some activities provide challenge for high attainers but the curriculum is not consistently well matched to their needs, and is sometimes not dovetailed closely to all pupils' needs. The school is sharpening its systems for ensuring appropriate time for subjects and links between them. The curriculum is enriched well through visitors, visits, theme days and drama productions. Parents are increasingly involved in coming into school to share with pupils their expertise and cultural heritage, for example through music and reading. There has been more use of information and communication technology and of investigatory and experimental work in mathematics and science, which the school is rightly continuing to

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Grade: 3

extend. In the Foundation Stage, outdoor provision and learning are restricted. Parents welcome the new homework system and the opportunities it gives them to support their children with open-ended activities. Nevertheless, sometimes the homework is not challenging enough for some pupils or is too hard for others to access. The provision contributes well to pupils' personal development although there is not a daily act of collective worship. There is a wide range of clubs that pupils very much enjoy attending.

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Grade: 2

Staff provide a high level of care for pupils' personal development and well-being. They build good professional relationships with pupils and know them well, so that pupils feel they have an adult to turn to if they have a problem. Staff support pupils well in developing social skills and cooling down when things get difficult for them to deal with. Safeguarding requirements are met and health and safety procedures are in place. Pupils who join the school after the start of Reception receive good induction and those who are at early stages of learning English have their language acquisition supported and monitored well. The school has improved its systems for identifying the needs of pupils with learning difficulties who also speak a first language other than English, and supporting the progress of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities through individual education plans. The popular support group for parents of pupils with

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Grade: 2

learning difficulties or disabilities further strengthens the care for these pupils. Assessment has improved greatly since the last inspection. Parents welcome the termly assessment information for each subject that they receive in reports. School systems for recording these assessments do not make it easy to check the progress of individuals or groups against their target levels each term. While those who are potentially underachieving are identified appropriately for support, records do not readily indicate those higher attainers who are making less than good progress. Pupils take part in discussions to help draw up their individual learning targets in English and mathematics, although the extent to which they challenge pupils or are used in classwork and homework varies.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher's strong leadership has already built well on the interim headteacher's work. There is now a cohesive senior management team that is driving the school forward. Staff are 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008 enthusiastically working together and taking on their leadership responsibilities, such as monitoring of planning and pupils' work. Teaching and support staff are clear about the important part they play in pupils' progress and personal development. Management of support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is good. Development planning has identified pertinent actions that have led to improvement. Parents have been involved in key initiatives through a termly consultative forum. Self-evaluation accurately pinpoints the school's strengths and areas for development, although it is generous in some overall judgements. Frequent monitoring of lessons has helped to increase teachers' professionalism. It has identified

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Grade: 2

appropriate areas for development, in which there have been some improvements although records do not show the changes clearly. Evaluation was accurate in lessons observed jointly with inspectors. Resources are used efficiently within the reduced budget following a drop in pupil numbers, but these look set to rise as Reception is oversubscribed. Parents express confidence in the leadership and the school. Their comments in a recent survey endorse this positive view. The school has begun to produce communications in parents' home language. Parents welcome the increased amount of information they receive and are more involved in the work of the school, although there is room for the school to benefit further from their ideas and expertise. The strong leadership of the new governing body has set it a clear direction for school improvement. Governors are beginning to obtain first hand evidence through visits and to hold

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Grade: 2

the school to account, but need more data on pupils' progress throughout the school. Some statutory requirements are not fully in place in terms of timeliness of equalities policies and reporting on their impact. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 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. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 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? 3 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 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

04 April 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Chalgrove Primary School,London,N3 3PL Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited recently and for all of the helpful information you gave us when we spoke to you. We agree with you that your school has improved. We found that it is satisfactory and no longer needs special measures. Your headteacher and school leaders are working well together with the staff to continue to make the school even better. Some of the teaching is good but at other times it does not challenge you all to think hard because work is too easy or too difficult. We have asked staff to make sure that the work challenges all of you. You and your parents like the reports with information about how you are getting on. The school keeps lots of different information about how you are doing but we have asked it to improve the recording systems so it can more quickly see whether you are on target to do well. You are already involved in discussing your individual learning targets and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

assessing how well you meet them. Some of you make these assessments very often or choose harder work for yourselves. We think that you should all have more opportunity to make decisions about your work and your progress. You can help by trying your best, always thinking whether your targets or work are right for you and frequently checking how well you are meeting your targets. You told us that you really enjoy coming to school and being with your friends. Your attendance has improved. You get on well with each other and with staff. They look after you well and help you to have good personal development. You behave well and staff help you to calm down if you need to. You feel safe. You have a school council but told us you would like to be more involved in making decisions, so we have asked the school to do this. You like the wide choice of clubs. Staff help you settle in well to Reception and give you a suitable range of activities, but we

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

have asked the school to improve what you learn in the outdoor area. We wish you success at school and in helping it to continue to improve. Best wishes Gill CloseHer Majesty's Inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Chalgrove Primary School, 25 °26 March 2008

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