Sir John Lillie Primary School

Sir John Lillie Primary School Inspection report

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100338 Unique Reference Number Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority 323261 Inspection number 10–11 December 2008 Inspection dates Enid Korn 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 415 School (total) 3 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Cllr Alex Karmel Chair Mrs Sue Hayward Headteacher 28 September 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Lillie Road School address London SW6 7LN 020 7385 2107 Telephone number 020 7386 7931 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 10–11 December 2008 Inspection dates 323261 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a large primary school in central west London. Sixteen ethnic groups are represented, the largest being pupils of Black British African and Black British Caribbean heritage. Far more pupils than is usual leave and enter the school during each school year. Over one third of the pupils have English as an additional language. In the main, those at the early stages of learning spoken English are in the youngest classes. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is much higher than in most schools, and most of these have mainly moderate learning difficulties and speech, language and communication difficulties. There is a high rate of staff turnover. The school has the Healthy School and Activemark awards. There are eighty-five children attending the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Mostly children start in the Nursery on a part-time basis at the age of three and progress to full-time

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Description of the school

places before moving on to the Reception classes. The Sir John Lillie Playcentre is managed by the governing body. It meets on the school site before and after school and in the holidays.

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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: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008

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Grade: 2

Sir John Lillie is a school that provides a good quality of education together with high standards of care. In this multicultural school all pupils feel included; relationships are good and are based upon mutual respect. Pupils of all ethnic backgrounds and all abilities achieve well despite the high numbers joining or leaving the school at different times. Pupils make good progress from starting points that are well below those expected for their age. By the end of Year 6, the most recent test results show that standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science. In the most recent assessments, standards at the end of Year 2 were in line with those found in other schools with a similar pupil intake. The personal development of the pupils is good. The school provides a welcoming environment for its pupils, who enjoy their lessons and play times. The good behaviour and attitudes promoted

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Grade: 2

by the school contribute significantly to the good achievement of the pupils. The care, guidance and support that pupils receive is of outstanding quality and the most vulnerable pupils are supported very well. Pupils feel they can talk to adults if they have any concerns, and grow in confidence in this supportive environment. By Year 6, pupils undertake responsibilities proudly in a mature manner, making an outstanding contribution to their school community. Some older pupils are now starting to have pen pals in other countries, communicating by email. Links with parents and the local community are outstanding. Parents are extremely supportive and full of praise for the school's caring attitude. In the EYFS, the children make satisfactory progress because the teaching is satisfactory. At times, the teaching extends the children well, such as when investigating shadows with torches, but many of the interactions that adults engage in with children do not extend children's

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Grade: 2

learning sufficiently. This is because assessment information is not used well enough to guide the teaching. Consequently, adults do not have a clear understanding of how to match their teaching and the activities provided to the needs of individual children. In Years 1 to 6, the teaching and the curriculum are good and the pupils make consistent progress. Assessment information is used well to plan lessons that are interesting and pose a suitable level of challenge. Pupils know their targets and strive to meet them. Those who are at the early stages of learning English and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported. The curriculum is modified well to meet the needs and interests of the various pupil groups, and to reflect their backgrounds. The headteacher leads and supports the leadership teams well and her enthusiasm and commitment to pupils' achievement is communicated to all staff. She has determinedly improved

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Grade: 2

the achievement of the pupils, which dipped over the last two years, by setting challenging targets and monitoring the teaching and the pupils' performance in order to raise achievement and progress. Consequently, inconsistencies in the rate of progress that pupils make have been addressed, and this has led to an upturn in standards. Within the EYFS, which was the area for development from the last inspection, there has been some focus on improving low language skills, but it has lacked impact because self-evaluation has not been effective. New assessment systems have been established to provide clear information to subject coordinators and teachers so that they can monitor the progress of every pupil. These are less advanced in the EYFS. There is scope to improve the use of assessment information more specifically as a tool for monitoring progress and trends over time, in order to aid the leadership team's evaluation of

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Grade: 2

the school's work. The school provides excellent support for its parents, and very strong links 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008 with the local community. These include such diverse activities as a play-centre and play schemes during the holidays, international evenings and carol singing to collect for local charities. The governors fulfil their roles well.

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Grade: 3

Children enter with skills and abilities that are well below those expected for their age. Many have little spoken English. Children make good progress in their personal development, and satisfactory progress in all other areas of learning. They leave the Reception year with standards below those generally expected for their age, particularly in communication language and literacy skills. This represents satisfactory progress. In the Nursery and Reception years, adults provide a stimulating range of interesting activities, indoors and out. These cover all areas of learning and contribute to the children's enjoyment and progress. In all classes, relationships with adults are good, and children select their own activities and therefore their confidence and independence develop well. The teaching is satisfactory overall. When it is good, children learn well and are frequently enthralled and absorbed by their tasks. At other times, adults do not guide and extend children's learning

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Grade: 3

sufficiently, because assessments of their performance and progress are not used effectively to plan tasks that are matched to the children's learning needs. Children at the early stages of learning English make good progress during the times when they are taught in small groups, for example when discussing a story or enacting nursery rhymes, so that by the end of the Reception year most are sufficiently confident to speak to adults. There is scope to further develop small-group work such as this so that it is more consistent in all EYFS classes. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are identified early and given specific support, and therefore make good progress. The newly appointed leader has introduced good systems to monitor the children's learning and development, but the impact of these is not yet embedded in practice across the EYFS. The Sir John Lillie Playcentre provides good quality care and

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Grade: 3

education for children under five. This facility is well led and managed.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend the analysis of assessment data to take a more robust account of pupils' starting points when they join, to help monitor trends over time and analyse the impact of the school's work. ■ Improve achievement in the EYFS and provide tasks that are better matched to children's needs and abilities.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress and achieve well from their low starting points. Standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. This is an improvement on standards from the last two years. The school's recent focus on improving pupils' achievement in writing has accelerated their progress in English. The most recent test results show that all pupils reached the levels expected for their age in science, but fewer than average reached the higher level. This is due to a limited amount of extension work for pupils in the science curriculum. The current Year 2 pupils are on track to reach standards that are in line with last year's national average and this is a significant improvement on previous years. Pupils from the various ethnic groups, including those with English as an additional language, all make 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008

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Grade: 2

similarly good progress due to the effective support they receive in lessons and the manner in which the curriculum has been adapted to reflect their interests. Pupils who join the school in Key Stage 2 are well supported and make good progress. Most pupils with learning difficulties - including those with moderate learning difficulties and speech and language difficulties - make good progress, and some make outstanding progress. All have benefited greatly from the small-group teaching and the special teaching programmes they receive.

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Grade: 2

Pupils greatly enjoy lessons and have good attitudes to learning. As one pupil remarked, 'Lessons are fun - teachers guide us well.' Their behaviour in classes and around the school is good. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe. They know that if any bullying or name-calling occurs, there are staff who they can turn to for support. Pupils' attendance is satisfactory. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, and they know about their own and others' cultures. They have an extremely good understanding of the importance of staying healthy; they choose healthy food at lunchtime and take part in physical activities, reflecting their commitment to fitness. The school council is an influential voice. For example, members of this council have observed lessons and made extremely sensible suggestions, such as recommending that pupils be given more opportunities for asking questions

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Grade: 2

to clarify their thinking. They have also petitioned the local council to introduce a crossing patrol outside the school. Pupils collect for charities and sell healthy snacks to younger pupils. Their progress in numeracy and literacy provides a good foundation for their future well-being.

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Grade: 2

The teaching throughout Years 1 to 6 is good, and within a few lessons observed during the inspection, some was outstanding. Support for pupils who have learning difficulties, and for those who have English as an additional language, is good. Pupils trust that their teachers and support staff will help them. As one pupil commented, 'If you get something wrong, teachers help you.' Lessons are interesting and resources are used well. Pupils are encouraged to work with others, which helps them to learn and to develop their social skills and collaborative abilities. In most lessons, work is well matched to pupils' abilities, but when it is not pupils become less involved and less attentive. All teachers use the interactive whiteboards well to ensure that the pupils can see clearly what is being taught, and to hold their interest. Pupils are therefore included, and participate in the subsequent discussions. In the outstanding lessons

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Grade: 2

observed, teachers consolidated previous learning and used drama and resources effectively to extend the learning. In addition, the most effective lessons are productive, and include independent research to help pupils reinforce their knowledge and understanding.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum for Years 1 to 6 is well planned to reflect the needs, interests and cultural diversity of the pupils, and therefore pupils enjoy their learning. In order to raise standards there is an appropriate emphasis upon literacy and numeracy, and a good number of effective intervention programmes to support those who find learning difficult. The recent focus on 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008 writing is having a positive impact. The science curriculum is being reviewed to extend the challenge for more able pupils. The curriculum is well planned to promote safe and healthy lifestyles, with a well-structured programme for personal, social and health education. The provision for physical education is a strength. The curriculum is enlivened by a wide range of stimulating outside visits, focus weeks that promote creativity, and visitors, such as storytellers

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Grade: 2

and African and Indian drummers. The school has rightly given more priority to making stronger links between subjects to further increase pupils' enjoyment of learning. There is a wide variety of clubs which are well supported and valued by the pupils.

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Grade: 1

All adults have an outstanding commitment to the care, guidance and support of all pupils, and to minimising risks. The robust systems in place ensure that pupils are safeguarded and protected. There are excellent links with outside professionals, ensuring that pupils benefit from all the services they need. There are good systems for modifying any inappropriate behaviour. The very experienced learning mentor provides outstanding support for vulnerable pupils, including good induction arrangements when they transfer to secondary school. A range of effective strategies is used to improve attendance. The academic guidance given to pupils is outstanding. Pupils have their own academic and personal targets, and are encouraged to assess their own learning against these. This helps them to reflect upon their work and encourages them to work hard to achieve improvement.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher has a clear vision for improvement, and she drives the school forward. She sets challenging targets to raise achievement and to promote the pupils' personal development. Community cohesion is good. The headteacher actively seeks to support parents and involve the local community. As one parent wrote, 'The staff and headteacher are very friendly and very approachable.' There have been improvements in some areas since the previous inspection, and the school has accurately identified priorities for further development. The use of assessment data as a leadership tool for analysing the impact of the school's work is at a relatively early stage of development. The issue from the last inspection that related to improving provision in the EYFS to the levels found elsewhere in the school is not yet fully implemented. The headteacher has supported the leadership team and subject coordinators well, enabling them

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Grade: 2

to develop their roles and take responsibility for ensuring improvement. This support, together with good teamwork, has been successful in raising standards, particularly in writing. Incisive monitoring of teaching and learning, and a strong focus on continuing professional development, has maintained the good quality of teaching, notwithstanding the high turnover of staff and the high proportion of newly qualified teachers. The management of the provision for pupils with learning difficulties, and for those pupils at the early stages of English acquisition, is good. Governors are well informed and fully involved in school improvement planning, and through this they provide an effective balance of support and challenge. The school's capacity for further improvement is good. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 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: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 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 2 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008

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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 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

05 January 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Sir John Lillie Primary School,London,SW6 7LN The inspectors were very pleased to visit your school. We found that it provides you with a good standard of education. Thank you for making us feel so welcome. We really enjoyed talking to you and visiting your lessons. I am writing to tell you what we found out about your school. We noticed your good behaviour, and in particular your very good contribution to your school community. We were particularly impressed with your school council and their very sensible comments. We think that you all work well together and with your teachers, and we noticed how well you respect each other's views. Your school looks after you extremely well to make sure that you are safe and healthy. We have asked your teachers to record your progress more carefully from the time you join and as you move up the school. We have also asked them to carefully guide the learning of the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

children in the Nursery and the Reception years to help them do much better. You can help by ensuring that you come to school regularly and continue to work hard. Well done, and I wish you well for the future. Yours faithfully Enid Korn Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir John Lillie Primary School, 10–11 December 2008

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