Stockwell Primary School

Stockwell Primary School Inspection report

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100582 Unique Reference Number Lambeth Local Authority 323303 Inspection number 16 September 2008 Inspection date David Whatson 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 0–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 444 School (total) 48 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 22 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Michael Thomas Chair Mrs Janet Mulholland Headteacher 26 January 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Stockwell Road School address London SW9 9TG 020 7274 7687 Telephone number 020 7274 9887 Fax number

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0–11 Age group 16 September 2008 Inspection date 323303 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 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ How much progress have pupils made in the last year, especially in writing?

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Introduction

■ Is self-evaluation thorough and precise enough to move the school forward?

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Introduction

■ What are the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning and what impact does this have on pupils' progress? ■ The quality of provision for children in the Children Centre.

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Introduction

Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspection found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given it its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included in this report.

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Description of the school

Stockwell School is larger than most primary schools. It shares its site with a Children's Centre that is based in new, state-of-the-art, purpose-built accommodation. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is made up of the Children's Centre and the Nursery and Reception classes. The school and EYFS serve a very ethnically diverse community. The percentage of pupils learning English as an additional language is very high and many are at an early stage of English language acquisition. There are a few looked after children and several refugees and asylum seekers on roll. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulities and/or disabilities is broadly average. The majority of these have either speech and communication difficulties or moderate learning difficulities. The school holds both the Healthy Schools Award and the Basic Skills Quality Mark.

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Description of the school

Since April 2007 the school, and its leaders, have been working closely in a 'soft' federation with another local primary school. The two schools share the same headteacher but have separate governing bodies.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008

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Grade: 1

A parent's comment sums up the views of many others, including the inspectors, when they wrote, 'This is really a very good school - everyone should come here.' The school's leaders and managers are never complacent, and have built successfully upon the outstanding provision at the last inspection. As a result, pupils' academic and personal developments are exceptional and have been for the last few years. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and what it provides for their children. Typically, one parent wrote, 'Stockwell Primary is a fantastic school with excellent opportunities for the children. They are supported and encouraged to push their personal boundaries.' The outstanding headteacher, with excellent support and teamwork of the staff, have established a very special school in this inner city setting. Parents have described it as a 'village community' with 'lots of good vibes.' Pupils feel extremely safe and valued. Relationships are excellent with

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Grade: 1

each other and staff. Pupils know they have influence and speak with enthusiasm and pride about the fund raising activities organised by the school council and their role as peer mediators. Pupils and parents appreciate the exemplary pastoral care provided. One parent echoed the views of others and wrote, 'The school makes sure that every child's needs are well taken care of, be it special or not.' Vulnerable pupils are very carefully nurtured to be confident and happy learners. Behaviour is impeccable and has improved since the last inspection, due to projects such as 'Second Steps'. This helps pupils to resolve their own conflicts, be assertive and manage their emotions. Pupils are mature and responsible, taking the initiative when they see someone in difficulty or distress. In spite of the school's very vigorous efforts to improve attendance, it remains stubbornly just below the national average. This is because a significant minority of

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Grade: 1

families take holidays during school time. This does not reflect the love of school and industrious attitude to work of the great majority of pupils. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding. From starting points in Year 1, that are well below the expected level, pupils of all backgrounds and abilities make exceptionally good progress. By the end of Year 2, assessments show that standards are broadly average, although writing, especially for boys, is weaker than reading and mathematics. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils build on their earlier success and, by the end of Year 6, standards are above average. They are well above average in mathematics, but a continued weakness in writing means that English standards are not quite so high. In science, the pupils perform well. Last year, staff introduced more intensive and focused support to help pupils, especially boys, write independently and at length and this has met with some success.

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Grade: 1

Older pupils are improving and are on course to meet increasingly challenging targets. However, their success and the efforts to raise writing standards for younger pupils are hindered by adults who do not always model good language and sentence structures. The keys to pupils' excellent achievement are the outstanding teaching, curriculum and very effective academic support and guidance. Teaching has improved since the last inspection because of the successful sharing of good practice between staff and a rigorous programme of monitoring of lessons and support. Teaching is characterised by interesting and engaging activities. These are backed up by positive relationships and clear and high expectations. Teachers are good at matching work to pupils' individual needs, based on the very thorough tracking of their achievements. Marking has improved, and consistently provides pupils with guidance on how to improve their work. There are increasing opportunities for pupils to assess

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Grade: 1

their own learning by reflecting on their work. Staff carefully monitor pupils' progress and 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008 those in need of support are quickly identified and given effective help. The skilled teaching assistants contribute very well to pupils' progress, especially those learning English as an additional language. Stockwell Primary is a community of learners. A governor described it as taking 'learning into the family and the family into the school'. There are excellent links with parents and outside agencies that support pupils' achievement. The staff continually reach out to the wider community for support. This is typified by efforts to engage with fathers through the 'Dad's Matter' and 'The Art of Fatherhood' sessions that took place during the 'Father's Day Weekend'. There is an exceptional range of visits, visitors, clubs and after school activities that contribute

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Grade: 1

significantly to pupils' achievements. The school's federation with another local school has enabled Stockwell pupils to meet different groups of pupils and, for example, to enjoy a day of music together. Parents' comments show they particularly value the work of the headteacher whose determination to make continual improvements is matched by that of the strong team of staff she has established. Together, they have a very clear view of the school's strengths and weaknesses through their rigorous monitoring and evaluation. Their strong teamwork, and the collaborative management systems in place, have enabled staff to take on new roles and responsibilities, within the new federation, with no faltering in the excellent provision. Governors are committed and knowledgeable and offer a good balance of support and challenge to school leaders. Governors have played a full part in driving improvement, which is one reason that the

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Grade: 1

school is extremely well placed to improve further.

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Grade: 2

Children are well looked after in the EYFS and flourish within the good quality environment of the Children's Centre. Staff in the Centre, Nursery and Reception are good at noting children's achievements and using this information to plan future activities. However, information recorded by staff in the Centre tends of be more descriptive than evaluative. As a result, some of their plans lack precision and this reduces children's learning. Throughout the EYFS provision, the partnership with parents is strong. This provides good support for children's learning. Management of the Centre and the school based EYFS is good. In both places, clear policies for children's care and welfare are closely followed by staff. The recently introduced August opening of the Nursery, aimed at easing the transition from the Centre, has been very successful and much appreciated by parents. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is very low. Staff have

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Grade: 2

a secure understanding of how young children learn and plan a good range of interesting activities that cover all areas of learning both indoors and outside. These draw on a good balance between adult-directed sessions and those where children make their own choices. The good organisation of the adults ensures that all groups of children across the EYFS benefit from skilled support. Staff are good at involving children in their work and developing their comprehension though their interactions. However, the adults do not consistently model the correct pronunciation of words, or correct sentence structure, and this hinders children's learning. By the end of Reception, a large majority of children still fall short of the expected goals for their age, because of their weak starting points.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve standards in writing, particularly by consistently modelling good language and sentence structures in younger classes. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 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? 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

30 September 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Stockwell Primary School,London,SW9 9TG Thank you for welcoming me to your school. I think it must be wonderful to go to such an outstanding school. Our judgement matches how you and your parents feel about the school. There are so many good things that I cannot write about all of them, but these are the most important.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ There is an exceptionally strong community. Parents, community workers and outside agencies work very closely with the school to provide you with a high quality education. ■ You are all making excellent progress because teachers are very good at helping you to learn. You do particularly well in mathematics. ■ You are growing up to be mature, sensible, caring and confident. I was particularly impressed by your excellent behaviour. ■ The adults keep a very careful eye on everyone and make sure that if anyone needs extra help they get it. ■ The school gives you very exciting opportunities for learning in lessons and in the many clubs you can join. ■ The headteacher, assistant headteachers, staff and governors manage the school very well and have good plans in place to enable it to continue to improve. Even an outstanding school like yours can always improve. I have agreed with the staff that they will carry on helping you improve your standards in writing, by showing you how to write

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

good sentences and by speaking clearly so that you can copy their good example. Finally, I would like to thank you once again for all your help. I wish you well in the future. Yours sincerely David Whatson Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Stockwell Primary School, 16 September 2008

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