Southern Road Primary School

Southern Road Primary School Inspection report

p.1

102755 Unique Reference Number Newham Local Authority 323686 Inspection number 5 June 2009 Inspection date Raminder Arora Reporting inspector

p.1

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.

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 813 School (total) 0 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 Mrs Bronwen Stuckey Chair Ms Stephanie Lachowycz Headteacher 20 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Southern Road School address London E13 9JH 020 8471 9048 Telephone number 020 8471 4512 Fax number

p.1

3–11 Age group 5 June 2009 Inspection date 323686 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009

p.2

Introduction

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

p.3

Introduction

■ what the school is doing to raise achievement and standards, particularly in writing

p.3

Introduction

■ the quality of teaching and the resultant progress that pupils make

p.3

Introduction

■ pupils' personal development, their behaviour, attitudes and attendance

p.3

Introduction

■ the pastoral care the school provides, and how well it supports and keeps track of pupils' progress. The inspectors met with staff, governors and pupils. Parts of lessons were observed, 184 parents' questionnaires were analysed, samples of pupils' work were examined and information provided by the school, including records of pupils' progress and self-evaluation, was scrutinised. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a much larger-than-average primary school. A Nursery and three Reception classes form its Early Years Foundation Stage provision. The school serves a diverse community. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is high. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is higher than average, with about half at the early stages of learning English as a new language. A lower-than-average number of pupils has learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with statements of special educational need. Their needs relate mainly to learning, behaviour, and speech and language difficulties. Additionally, the school has a resourced base class for eight pupils with specific learning difficulties from across the local authority. A high number of pupils join or leave the school at different times throughout the year, including some from refugee and asylum-seeking families. The school has achieved

p.3

Description of the school

the Football Association Charter Mark, Sports Activemark, Artsmark Gold and a Healthy School Award. It provides a free-of-charge breakfast club. The headteacher was appointed two years ago.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009

p.3

Grade: 2

Southern Road is a good school. The words of one parent are echoed by many: 'very happy with my children's progress, they always want to come to school and enjoy their time there.' Every child matters in this school and this focus is central to all that the school does. The excellent leadership of the headteacher ensures that all pupils make good progress and that their personal development is outstanding. Teaching is good and tasks are well matched to individual pupil's needs in most lessons. This is a significant reason for the good progress made by pupils in relation to their low starting points. The outstanding curriculum further supports pupils' enjoyment and achievement. The majority of children start in the Nursery with levels of skill and understanding lower than those expected for their age. Children make good progress during their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage due to the many exciting activities provided for them. Pupils continue to

p.4

Grade: 2

make consistently good progress through Key Stages 1 and 2. At the end of Year 2 standards have been below average in the past, but the school's Year 6 test results in 2008 were close to the national average. This year's provisional Year 2 results show improvement and are broadly average. The school's current data on progress indicate that pupils in Year 6 are making much better progress and are in line to meet the school's challenging targets. Pupils' achievement in writing has been identified as the weakest aspect and various effective measures for teaching reading and writing have impacted well on pupils' progress. Improvements include the use of a structured programme of letter sounds and well-planned opportunities for creative writing across a wide range of subjects. The school is effective in overcoming potential barriers to learning, such as those presented by many pupils who enter unable to speak English or who join school at times throughout the

p.4

Grade: 2

year. It has established good procedures to help pupils settle in quickly, including rigorous initial assessments. The low-achieving pupils receive a well-planned programme in developing basic skills in small groups and are able to quickly catch up with the others. Particular attention is paid to supporting the needs of vulnerable pupils by also using expertise of the staff from the school's well-established Resourced Base provision. The keen support of teaching assistants boosts the impact of teaching and plays a key role in ensuring that pupils with language and communication difficulties, including those learning English as a new language and those with moderate learning difficulties, all make good progress alongside their peers. Good attention is paid to monitoring pupils' achievement, and strategies are quickly put in place to tackle any potential underachievement. Assessment information is used well to set individual targets.

p.4

Grade: 2

However, some teachers' marking does not take sufficient account of pupils' learning targets and this limits pupils' understanding of what they have to aim for next in order to improve. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They are confident and enjoy school immensely. Attendance is good and most pupils attend regularly. The school has a very tight focus on attendance and effective procedures, including working closely with the parents, to ensure that pupils do not miss school. The well-organised and very popular free breakfast club is helpful in maintaining good attendance levels. Pupils have very positive attitudes and behave well. They take on responsibilities as school councillors and buddies, and this contributes to their growing maturity and prepares them well for the future. Pupils have an extremely good understanding of the need for healthy diets and exercise, and actively participate in the extensive

p.4

Grade: 2

range of sporting activities on offer. Pupils from all backgrounds work and play in harmony, and this contributes to the school's warm friendly ethos. The school works closely with parents 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009 and specialists. It benefits especially from its partnership with the E13 Learning Community of local schools, which contributes to staff training. Staff know pupils well and pupils say they feel safe. Strategies such as `Chill and Chat' provide them with opportunities for discussion and collaborative working. Staff teamwork and positive relationships are key to making all pupils feel very special and safe. Parents and pupils alike really value the high-quality care. One parent wrote, 'We really appreciate the personal attention and rapid response to concerns by staff.' Leadership and management at all levels are good. Planning for school improvement shows

p.4

Grade: 2

clear priorities, for example the continuous focus on improving the quality of teaching, which is consistently good. Governors play an effective part in overseeing the work of the school. Procedures for self-evaluation and review are very good. An especially strong feature is the partnership with other schools and many other beneficial links established with the local and global community, for example close links with schools in the Isle of Wight, Lille in France and Gran Canaria in Spain. The school has a very good track record of improvement. The pace of improvement has quickened since the arrival of the new hard-working and innovative headteacher, very ably supported by her deputy headteacher. For example, the curriculum provision has been strengthened through innovative approaches such as the widely used 'multimedia suite' and 'art suite' for special projects linking subjects across the curriculum. An

p.5

Grade: 2

extensive range of extra-curricular clubs, for instance gardening, French, recorders and guitar, and many sporting, artistic and cultural events make the curriculum very enjoyable. This has underpinned pupils' good progress in not only learning English but also doing well in other subjects, for example in information and communication technology. The school's stable staffing, the excellent teamwork, as well as the overwhelming support of parents, add further to the school's excellent capacity for continuous improvement.

p.5

Grade: 2

The provision is good because the staff plan stimulating activities for the children and ensure a good start to their education. Most children join the Nursery with skills that are lower than those expected for their age, particularly in language and communication. Outstanding care and welfare ensure that children make exceptionally good progress in their personal development. It also supports their good achievement and ensures they feel safe and secure. Staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn. Children settle well and make good progress as a result. By the time they enter Year 1, the majority have acquired good social skills, self-esteem and confidence, and nearly half have reached the expected learning goals in most areas, but their attainment is still low in communication, language and literacy. Children's speaking and listening skills are actively encouraged, especially through role play and hands-on

p.5

Grade: 2

experiences; for example, a group of children observed snails in a tray through a magnifying glass. The learning environment is inviting and resources are of good quality. Detailed early assessment of the children's starting points is used to plan activities that help them learn and develop. Care is also taken to ensure that these take account of the children's own interests and experiences. The children are happy and keen to take part in all that is offered. The ongoing observations contribute well to children's individual portfolios of what they know, do and understand. The early introduction of a language programme of linking sounds and letters prepares them well in learning how to read and write. Good use is made of the outdoor areas to extend the children's play and learning, and good-quality resources motivate children to use initiative and imagination in their play. Provision in all areas of learning is good across both

p.5

Grade: 2

5 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009 the indoor and the outdoor classrooms, although opportunities for writing are not always as exciting as they might be. Good leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensure a consistent approach across the Nursery and Reception classes and smooth transition into Year 1.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in English, particularly in writing, for all pupils.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Make better use of pupils' learning targets in marking, to help them to know what to do to improve. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009 .

p.6

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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009

p.7

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.8

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

p.8

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? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

p.8

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

p.8

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009

p.8

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 2 The attendance of learners 2 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

p.9

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?

p.9

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 1 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 June 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Southern Road Primary School,London,E13 9JH Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you and watching you learn. We would like to tell you that your school is a good school. The children in the Nursery and Reception classes make a good start and have many opportunities to learn and play both inside and outside in the interesting play areas. You told us that you love coming to school because there are so many exciting things to do and you have lots of friends. We agree with you. We were impressed by your very good attitudes to work and your good behaviour. We thought that all the adults look after you extremely well. We were amazed at all the excellent art work on display. You make good progress as you move through the school and do as well as many children of your age. This is because the teachers watch carefully to see how you are doing and give you help if you need it. The teaching assistants

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

also give you plenty of help, especially if you find it hard to learn. We thought that you learned in exciting ways. We enjoyed watching some of you design and make your own sandwiches and decide on the filling of your choice. You have lots of different sports to take part in. You know how to keep safe and healthy and take the responsibilities you are given very seriously. Your headteacher and the governors work hard to make sure that your school is an exciting place to be. Your parents know that you go to a good school. To become even better, we have asked the school to make sure that you improve even further, particularly in writing. Most of your teachers explain what to do to improve when they mark your work, but they could do this even better by linking their comments to your learning targets. You can all help by continuing to work hard and by coming to school everyday. Finally, we would like to thank you once again for your help and wish you well for the future.

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours faithfully Raminder Arora Lead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Southern Road Primary School, 5 June 2009

p.10